118cc-1-3-117 Full text Multicenter studies require a high degree of standardization to guarantee the demanded quality standard. One potential source of error is incorrect blood specimen collection in the different study centers, especially if different types of anticoagulants or specific inhibitors (eg cyclooxygenase inhibitors for prostaglandin determinations) are used. To avoid such problems...

  Antibody detection is the most versatile and commonly used method for measles diagnosis. Detection of specific IgM antibodies in a single serum specimen collected within the appropriate time after rash onset can provide a good presumptive diagnosis of current or recent measles infection and is the test of choice for rapid diagnosis of measles cases. So, optimal timing for collection of a sing...

OBJECTIVE To provide updated management guidelines according to cervical cytology specimen adequacy and techniques to optimize adequacy based on literature review and expert opinion. MATERIALS AND METHODS Selected members of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology committee and invited experts conducted a literature review and discussed appropriate management and areas for ...

BACKGROUND Venous blood specimen collection is a common health care practice that has to follow strict guidelines, non-compliance among sampling staff may compromise patient safety. We evaluated a large-scale 2 h educational intervention that emphasised guideline adherence to assess possible improvements of venous blood specimen collection practices. METHODS Blood specimen haemolysis is usual...

In 2000, Staten Island, New York, reported 10 human West Nile virus cases and high densities of dead crows. Surrounding counties with <2 human cases had moderate dead crow densities, and upstate counties with no human cases had low dead crow densities. Monitoring such densities may be helpful because this factor may be determined without the delays associated with specimen collection and testing.